The latest news on hepatitis C and coinfection, research, drugs in development, treatment side effects and interferon-free direct antiviral combinations.

Welcome to HCV Advocate’s hepatitis blog. The intent of this blog is to keep our website audience up-to-date on information about hepatitis and to answer some of our web site and training audience questions. People are encouraged to submit questions and post comments.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

1-800-GET-THIN clinics put patients at risk, lawsuit alleges

Surgery centers affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN ad campaign used improperly sterilized equipment during Lap-Band weight-loss surgeries, two ex-workers say in the lawsuit.

Surgery centers affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN ad campaign used improperly sterilized surgical equipment during Lap-Band weight-loss surgeries and failed to notify several patients that they might have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus, two former workers alleged in a new lawsuit.

Jessica Meyle, a dietitian, and Amy Demonbreun, a surgical assistant, made the allegations in a lawsuit filed late Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. They said they quit their jobs this year rather than continue "to engage in unsafe patient care and the defendants' pattern and practice of violating the law."